Overhead Clear

Beginnershots

Turn sideways, racket back, non-racket arm pointing up.

Send the shuttle high and deep to the back of your opponent's court. Full arm extension, weight transfer, and follow-through.

Key points

•Turn sideways to the net
•Racket arm reaches high
•Hit at the highest point
•Full follow-through across the body

Practice with Coach Priya

Camera setup tips

· Place the camera side-on to you, 2 to 3 metres away.
· Keep your whole body in frame, head to feet.
· Phone on a tripod or a laptop webcam both work.
· Perform the movement, pause, repeat. Your coach speaks every 15 seconds.

Theory & Technique

The overhead clear is the bread-and-butter shot in badminton — it sends the shuttle high and deep to the back of your opponent's court, buying you time to recover. Start by turning your body sideways to the net with your non-racket shoulder pointing forward. As the shuttle drops, transfer your weight from the back foot to the front foot while swinging the racket up and over. Contact the shuttle at the highest point you can reach with a fully extended arm. The power comes from your body rotation and wrist snap, not just your arm. Follow through across your body and recover to the ready position.

Fun Fact

The overhead clear is so fundamental that professional coaches estimate it makes up about 40% of all shots played in a singles match!

Watch the real thing

Learn from real coaches first. Your live scoring compares you to the reference figure above; these videos are for learning, and stay with their creators on YouTube.